You may know Tyen Rasif as a personal trainer and bodybuilder, or even as Jade Rasif's sister.

But in 2019, Tyen faced a struggle that few knew about — cystic acne.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CEJe80WFwJq/

For the whole of last year, she tried to get rid of the bumps on her face, but none of the products worked.

This only made her more insecure, she said in a Clicknetwork video.

She would even avoid going on dates due to the breakouts.

Clear skin during puberty

According to Tyen, she never really had pimples or acne growing up.

However, when she turned 23 at the end of 2018, she was hit with a severe bout of acne.

And it wasn't just any acne, either — it was cystic acne.

Cystic acne is often seen as the most serious type of its condition, with painful lumps embedded deep within the skin.

Often, these acne do not come to "head", and can take weeks or even months to go away.

The formation of cystic acne, though, can occur as fast as over a night's sleep.

Identifying her skin type as sensitive and oily skin, Tyen said that it was "frustrating" for someone in her 20s to experience acne.

To hide the acne, she would pile on make-up and concealer at work, which made things worse.

Eventually, the personal trainer realised that a lot of the solutions that she tried, as well as certain aspects of her lifestyle, were exacerbating her condition.

Here are three tips that worked for Tyen on her path to recovery.

1. Looking inside

Tyen spoke specifically about diet, as reducing coffee and dairy intake worked for her.

Certain studies have shown that there is a link between dairy and hormonal breakouts, Tyen says.

Coffee, on the other hand, caused her skin to become dehydrated, especially when she wasn't drinking enough water.

Another thing to cut out was processed food and sugar.

The personal trainer suggests going two weeks without dairy or a certain food to see if it has any effect on your skin.

Eating out less also made a difference for Tyen.

2. Washing her face immediately after working out

While she didn't use to wash her face after working out, Tyen now does so religiously.

A rigorous workout opens your pores to dirt, sweat and bacteria, said the personal trainer.

Combined with the possibility of contact with gym equipment, things could get much worse.

3. Keeping skincare minimal

A dermatologist that Tyen visited said that the products and laser treatments that she underwent might be too harsh for her skin.

She was also using too many products at once.

Balancing her skincare routine and and re-looking at the ingredients contributed to her recovery.

Now, Tyen focuses on moisturising, and applies a low dose of benzoyl peroxide to problem areas.

Her current routine consists of cleansing and moisturising everyday, as well as toner every other day.

Thanks to healthy skin, her make-up has also become much lighter.

Lastly, Tyen advices those who are struggling to see a dermatologist for their condition, as each case is unique.

It might be more cost-saving in the long run, compared to the process of finding a product that actually works.

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